


Flora Lingua

by mercu



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: M/M, background kataang, possibly inaccurate depiction of florists and tattoo artists, some kind of non bending au, teenagers in love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-31
Updated: 2015-01-31
Packaged: 2018-03-09 21:33:21
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,749
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3265079
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mercu/pseuds/mercu
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>written for a prompt: jetko + puppy love.</p><p>zuko refuses to acknowledge his feelings. his friends try to help.</p><p>“Puppy love (also known as simple infatuation, a crush, calf love, or kitten love) is an informal term for feelings of love, romance, or infatuation, often felt by young people during their childhood and adolescence. It is named for its resemblance to the adoring, worshipful affection that may be felt by a puppy. It may also be able to describe short/long-term love interest.”</p>
            </blockquote>





	Flora Lingua

**Author's Note:**

> florist & tattoo apprentice idea shamelessly lifted from [this](http://xxxfamouslastwordsxxx.tumblr.com/post/98500585558/i-passed-a-flower-shop-next-to-a-tattoo-shop-and) tumblr post

Zuko might be just a teenager, but he likes to think of himself as mature, sophisticated and logical. (And Sokka likes to point out that he's actually a juvenile, sentimental brat. But Sokka's opinion is irrelevant.) After all, before moving in with uncle in Ba Sing Se, he spent years studying in the best private academy Fire Nation had to offer. And while he might not have effortlessly excelled at every single class the way Azula did, the endless hours he put into studying rewarded him with top-notch grades and the teachers' respect nonetheless. So yes. _Mature_ , _sophisticated_ and _logical_.

As such, the childish infatuation that makes him blush and falter every time he makes eye contact with the boy apprenticing at the tattoo parlor right across the street from uncle's flower shop is as infuriating as it is unexpected. Now that he's balancing school work and part time employment at the flower shop, he has neither the time nor desire to engage in pursuing a romantic relationship.

Regardless of how hot the boy in question might be.

-

Katara is supportive.

She used to briefly date the guy, back in the days when she was oblivious to Aang's romantic feelings towards her, and she promptly informs Zuko that Jet is more trouble than he's worth. Afterwards, she makes sure to entertain him with stories of Jet's manipulative streak, impulsive behavior and misplaced anger at least once a week. She also offers to introduce them nonetheless.

“I mean, I've seen the way he looks at you. It's not exactly one-sided.”

Zuko politely declines.

He's mildly disturbed, but appreciative.

-

Sokka is obnoxious.

In the following weeks, he perfects the art form of making lewd innuendos, makes kissy faces at the most inappropriate moments and constantly threatens to deliver love notes signed with Zuko's name to the tattoo shop.

“I'm trying to do you both a favor here, Zuko! Suppressing your feelings like that is not healthy.”

Zuko is mortified. He suspects it's a part of a coping mechanism to deal with Yue's family's sudden and inexplicable relocation to the other side of the country.

-

Aang is confused.

He doesn't understand why someone would willingly deprive themselves of 'pursuing their happiness', and so he regales Zuko with a tale of hope, heartbreak and perseverance that's the wooing of Katara. Then he urges Zuko to never lose hope because 'love will find a way' and earnestly offers his help should Zuko need it. He also redoubles his efforts to demonstrate his undying love for Katara with every breath and gesture, to her delight.

Frankly, Zuko feels more embarrassed than appreciative, but he awkwardly thanks Aang for his efforts anyway.

-

Toph is comforting, in her own way.

She acts as if nothing's changed – laughs at Sokka's antics and smacks him when he gets too insufferable, loudly complains about Katara bringing her old boyfriend up, _again, and would you just get over him already, for fuck's sake_ , alternately snickers and sighs exasperatedly at Aang's increasingly cheesy oneliners.

Zuko is grateful but perplexed, and when he expresses the sentiment, she snorts.

“Look, flower-boy, it's your crush and your business. If you prefer brooding and pining in solitude to enjoying a happy, healthy relationship, I'm only too happy to oblige. Especially since twinkle toes and sugar queen here already fill the mushy couple quota for our group.”  
  
Aang and Katara make indignant noises. Zuko stutters and hurriedly assures Toph that he doesn't brood in solitude.  
  
At least not about that.

-

Uncle Iroh is oblivious. Or so Zuko hopes.

 _Something_ certainly changes – uncle still cheerfully asks Zuko whether he's made any new friends lately every now and again, but his attempts at matchmaking conspicuously cease one day.

Zuko chooses to believe it's because uncle has finally realized the futility of his efforts and doesn't dwell on it much.

-

Things take a turn for the weird when one day, uncle joyfully hands him a carefully arranged bouquet with an unsigned note and informs Zuko that his shift is over for the day after he makes the delivery.

“You are very lucky, nephew! It's an easy delivery. They're for a Jet from the tattoo place, right across the street.” He laughs heartily, like he just told the best joke in the world. Zuko gapes, his fists clenching instinctively, and he's barely able to stop himself from squeezing the flowers hard enough to crush the delicate stems. Something that might be smugness flashes briefly through uncle's eyes, but it's gone so quickly Zuko's not sure he didn't imagine it.

“Are you okay, Zuko? You look ill.” Iroh remarks with a concerned expression. “Perhaps you should leave the delivery to Aang and go home now. He'll be here any minute.” He offers. Zuko grinds his teeth so hard he's sure everyone in the neighboring blocks must have heard it.

“It's fine.” He snaps. “I'll do it.”

He wants to tear the damn plants apart fiber by fiber, but he's not _immature_. He's not about to let personal feelings interfere with his job.

And it's not like he even  _wants_ to care anyway.

-

Zuko spends the excruciating 30 seconds that it takes him to walk across the street as slowly as he can agonizing over who the flowers could be from. He knows that Jet's friendly with a few kids that hang around the shop sometimes. At first glance, none of them seem like flower-giving types, but he's learned long ago that first impressions are often very misleading. (Azula seems perfect but inside she is breaking into a million pieces; Ty Lee looks soft and harmless but she could kill you with her bare hands in the blink of an eye; Mai is thrumming with suppressed emotions under the cold exterior.) But really, It could just as well be anyone else. The shop gets plenty of clients.

The inside of the shop is not quite as he imagined. The walls are covered in wood paneling, paper drawings and pictures of colorful tattoos hanging everywhere. The tattooing stations are in the back, separated from the waiting area by a half-wall, and the leather couches close by the door seem well-used and comfortable. It looks... _Cozy_ , a word he never would have associated with a tattoo parlor up until that day.

He's so busy absorbing the surroundings he only notices the girl sitting behind a low table strewn with thick folders when she coughs to alert him of her presence.

“Something you need?” She asks, squinting at the bouquet suspiciously. The tank top she's wearing neatly exposes a pair of sleeves, one centered around a phoenix perching on her upper arm, the other green, consisting mainly of vines coiling around her hand.

“Uh.” Zuko clears his throat and shuffles awkwardly. “It's a, ah, a delivery.” He utters, preparing for the worst. Sending people flowers into their workplace (or apprenticeship place as the case may be) may seem like a grand romantic gesture to some, but in practice all it usually does is inconvenience the receiver and annoy their employer – and the one who gets the blame is the unlucky florist that got saddled with the delivery. “For Jet.”

Her eyebrows go up almost to her hairline. “A flower delivery.” She deadpans. “For _Jet_.” Zuko nods, and her face breaks into a broad grin. “Jet!” She yells towards the back. “There's a florist here to see you!”

After only a short moment, Jet emerges from behind the half wall. He's not quite running, but his pace looks hurried. He stops in front of Zuko, all but crowding into his personal space, and gives him a crooked smile that makes Zuko's knees weak. “...What's up?” He asks casually, eyeing the bouquet.

Zuko swallows through suddenly dry throat and wets his lips. “It's a delivery.” He almost shouts. “For you. Anonymous.” He thrusts the bouquet in Jet's face, shifting slightly backwards and looking away.

“Oh.” Jet frowns at the flowers as he pries them from Zuko's tightly clenched fingers. He looks disappointed somehow. The girl at the table chooses that moment to chortle loudly, and Zuko gives her a confused look. Jet scowls. “Shut up, Kori.”

A moment passes, and neither of them moves. Finally, Zuko sighs. “I should get going. I have homework to do.” He mumbles reluctantly, at which Jet pipes up. Zuko is about to turn away, but a warm hand on his shoulder stops him.

“Homework? Does that mean your shift at the flower shop is over?” His voice is hopeful, and something in Zuko's stomach flutters. He nods slowly.

“Yeah. This was my last delivery.”

Jet's expression turns hopeful again. “You mind if I walk you back for a bit? You could, ah, explain to me what's the meaning behind the flowers maybe?”

Zuko mulls it over for a moment and the silence stretches awkwardly, but Jet doesn't seem to mind. “...Fine.” He finally agrees. After all, it's not like this is a date or anything, much less a love confession.

-

The walk proves to be a disastrous idea.

It's not that it's unpleasant, quite the opposite, and that is the very root of the problem. He actually enjoys himself, all throughout the brief conversation about the flowers, an exchange of work experiences and bonding over obnoxious and unreasonable customers. In fact, he enjoys himself so much, that when Jet asks him out, Zuko says _yes_.

-

“What am I going to do?” He groans the next morning, pacing the classroom. Sokka rolls his eyes and catches him by the sleeve.

“Zuko. Relax. It's just a date. You're gonna be fine.”

Zuko clutches the edge of Sokka's desk and stares him square in the eye. “Just a date? I don't have time for dates! I have school, and a job, and- and other things to worry about!” He dramatically collapses onto Sokka's desk briefly, before resuming his pacing. Sokka just sighs.

“Aang has school and a job too, the _same_ job, actually, and him and Katara manage just fine.” He points out. Zuko hates him a little for being reasonable when one least expects him to.

-

There's a yellow camellia waiting for him at the shop that afternoon, with a hastily scribbled note. Zuko frowns and examines it from various angles until the words start making sense. ' _Miss you. Can't wait until evening._ '

He smiles, thinking that maybe teenage crushes don't have to be as immature as he thought.

-

He changes his mind when in the evening, Jet greets him with a cactus flower.


End file.
